WHS boys net pair of shutouts

WASILLA — Something must have clicked for the Wasilla Warriors.

Just a few days after a tough loss to defending state champion Juneau-Douglas, the Wasilla Warriors recorded back-to-back shutouts in Northern Lights Conference play over the weekend. Senior Paul Sliwa scored two goals on consecutive days to lead the Warriors to a 5-0 win over Soldotna on Friday and a 6-0 victory over Kenai on Saturday.

“We’re really starting to come together, head in the right direction,” Wasilla head coach Blake Livingston said following the win over Kenai.

Sliwa and Oleg Lozko each scored twice during the win over Soldotna on Friday. Sophomore Nick Blohm added a goal against the Stars.

On Saturday, Sliwa and Blohm helped the Warriors sink a half-dozen into the Kardinal net. Blohm, an underclassman named honorary captain for the game, led the Warriors with the hat trick. Sliwa scored twice and sophomore Austin Frizzelle added a goal.

“We put the ball in the box all game long,” Livingston said. “Our possession was great.”

Blohm sparked the Warriors early, scoring in the second minute of play.

Blohm scored again during the 53rd minute, tapping in a nearly perfect Kyler Perry cross. Perry chased a loose ball down the left side of the field and sent a cross to the far post to Blohm, who knocked the ball into the net.

“I thought our guys did a real nice job of finishing,” Livingston said.

Blohm needed only three minutes to complete his hat trick. During the 56th minute, Sliwa slipped a pass across the goalie box to set up a Blohm score.

Frizzelle and Sliwa made adjustments on the ball just outside of the box and each scored within a 10-minute span in the first half. Frizzelle picked up a loose ball outside of the box, near the arc, and struck a low shot into the corner of the net to push his team’s lead to three during the 21st minute. In the 31st, Sliwa took control of possession in about the same spot, turned and fired a shot on goal to score.

“We were patient, making good decisions,” Livingston said.

Early in the second half, Sliwa drove a ball inside the goalie box and used a quick move to tap a shot into the Kenai net.

WHS girls split with Stars and Kards

WASILLA — Wasilla rebounded from a 3-1 loss to Soldotna on Friday to beat Kenai 3-1 on Saturday.

The Warriors used three unanswered goals to score the win over the Kardinals. Kenai took an early lead with a Raquel Reynolds goal during the 12th minute.

Despite trailing early, Wasilla was able to grab momentum with the game-tying goal during the 20th minute. Senior Kendra Miner drove the ball through the midfield and sent a pass to her right. There, senior Amy Jo Coonrod was able to take the Miner pass and place a shot into the nearside corner of the Kenai net.

Wasilla managed to maintain control of the game through the remainder of the half and into the second.

In the 49th minute, senior Reace Morrison won a battle deep in the box and booted a shot into the net. Junior Nikki Vanni iced the game, sending a high kick from just outside the box high into the right corner of the net just below the crossbar.

Wasilla head coach Amber Craig said the lessons preached during practice seem to be getting through to her players.

“The stuff I’ve been harping on really seemed to fall into place today,” Craig said.

Craig said her players worked together on the field to have success.

“It’s our passing game,” Craig said. “That’s one thing we’ve really been working on this year.”

Friday, Soldotna improved to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in NLC play with the win over the Warriors. Miner gave the Warriors the lead during the 32nd minute, but Kaitlyn Van Meter tied the score for the Stars with a 20-yard shot during the 38th minute.

The Stars took the lead with 10 minutes left in the first half. Kylee Wolf scored on a free kick from 40 yards out. The ball took a strange bounce over the Wasilla keeper’s head into the net.

Julie Litchfield scored in the 70th minute for Soldotna.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.